This invention relates generally to point-to-point calling and multi-point calling (conferencing), and more specifically to switching calls when both point-to-point and multi-point calls are present.
Current trends in computing suggest that computers are becoming networked to one another on a greater and greater scale. For example, computers that previously were connected to other computers in the same building over a local-area network (LAN) are now commonly connected to other computers all over the world over a wide-area network (WAN), an intranet, or the Internet. The rising prominence of the Internet in fact presages a future where all computers are able to connect with one another over a single vast global network.
With this rise in connectivity has come a proliferation of standards governing point-to-point calling, and multi-point calling (conferencing). Point-to-point calling enables a user at one computer to communicate with a user at another computer, where both computers are connected to one another over a network such as the Internet. A point-to-point call only permits two users to communicate with each other; if one of these users wishes to communicate with a third user at a different computer, the user would first have to disconnect the present point-to-point call and establish a new point-to-point call.
Multi-point calling is better known as conferencing. Conferencing enables a plurality of users at their respective computers to communicate with one another, where all the computers are connected to each other over a network such as the Internet. A multi-point call or conference usually allows new users to join an existing conference without having to first terminate the conference. With both point-to-point and multi-point calls, the communications may be dataxe2x80x94e.g., text, graphics, and/or filesxe2x80x94or multimedia, such as audio and/or video.
A standard for point-to-point calling known within the art is H.323. H.323 calling permits multimedia communication such as audio and video communication between the users at two different computers commonly connected. H.323 calling is occasionally said to govern multimedia conferencing between two computers; however, this nomenclature is inaccurate in that the H.323 standard generally only permits point-to-point calling, and not true multi-point calling (as those of ordinary skill within the art know, the H.323 standard does permit multi-point calling if a Multipoint Control Unit (MCU) is present, which is typically an additional server computer). Further description regarding the H.323 standard is described at the Internet web site http://www.imtc.org/imtc/i/standard/itu/i_h323.htm, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
A standard for multi-point calling known within the art is T.120. T.120 conferencing permits data communication among users at different computers commonly connected (e.g., text, graphics, and/or files). T.120 conferencing, besides data sharing, also permits document conferencing, specifying the efficient and reliable distribution of files and graphical information in real time in a multi-point call (conference). Further description regarding the T.120 standard is described at the Internet web site http://www.imtc.org/imtc/i/standard/itu/i_t120.htm, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
A disadvantage with the proliferation of standards governing multi-point and point-to-point calls is that unsophisticated users may become confused at the prospect of two or more concurrent calls with the same computer. For example, a user may participate in a T.120 conference to share computer files with other users, or exchange typed textual messages with them (commonly known as xe2x80x9cchattingxe2x80x9d) Concurrently, the user may also initiate an H.323 call with one of these users, to communicate in a multimedia manner (e.g., audio-only, or both audio and video).
The user, therefore, may become confused by the fact that he or she has to initiate two separate calls: a T.120 conference to share computer files and exchange typed textual messages, and an H.323 call to communicate in a multimedia manner. The concept of communicating with the same user by two different concurrent calls, as is possible by the proliferation of standards governing such multi-point and point-to-point calls, is therefore unintuitive at best to such users.
Furthermore, a caller may find that once he or she has established both a T.120 conference and an H.323 call with a callee, additional users that patch into the T.120 conference may not be able to initiate an H.323 call with either the caller or the callee. That is, the H.323 call established between the caller and the callee may be fixed, such that until the entire T.120 conference is disconnected, the H.323 call between the caller and the callee is unchangeable. Users within a T.120 conference may thus not be able to begin and end H.323 calls with other participants within the T.120 conference at will, but rather may be stuck having an H.323 call with the callee with which the user first initiated such a call, until the entire T.120 conference is disconnected.
The above-mentioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems are addressed by the present invention, which will be understood by reading and studying the following specification. The invention describes combined conferencing and calling, relative to a computerized system having at least two nodes. One node initiates both a conference and a call with another node, such that to the users at these nodes, initiation of the call between the nodes does not appear as separate from initiation of the conference between the nodes.
For example, a first node may initiate both a T.120 conference and an H.323 call with a second node. To the user at each of the first and the second node, however, initiation of the H.323 call appears imperceptible from initiation of the T.120 conference. That is, the users see the initiation of both the call and the conference as a single call or conference, and thus are less apt to become confused. In other words, the invention makes the initiation of both a call and a conference more intuitive to users. This is an advantage of the invention.
The invention also describes switchable calling within such combined calling and conferencing, relative to a computerized system having at least three nodes in a conference. One node initially is in a call with another node, but subsequently is able to seamlessly switch the call to the other node. This subsequent seamless switching does not affect the T.120 conference itself, in which all three nodes are present.
For example, a T.120 conference may have three participants: a first node, a second node, and a third node. The first node and the second node may also initially be in an H.323 call with one another. The first node, however, may decide that it wishes to end the H.323 call with the second node, and instead have an H.323 call to the third node. The invention provides for such switching, which is seamlessxe2x80x94the T.120 conference itself is not affected by the starting and ending of new H.323 calls among the T.120 conference participants. This is an advantage of the invention.
The present invention describes systems, nodes, methods, and computer-readable media of varying scope. In addition to the aspects and advantages of the present invention described here, further aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by reading the detailed description that follows.